


His Sword and Shield

by JingleBee



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, RinTori Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 10:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4916620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JingleBee/pseuds/JingleBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rintori Week Day 6-Royalty</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Sword and Shield

"Are you all right,milord?"

The young prince's eyes fluttered open as he felt his shoulder being gently shook. He looked around trying to gather his thoughts. The overturned carriage on the side of the forest path. The bodies of dead advisors and bandits strewn all over. The dashing redheaded knight in front of him. Then it all came flooding back.

One minute,Prince Nitori was negotiating peace treaties with a warring nation...well his advisors negotiated while he sat around bored,and the next minute his carriage was attacked by bandits on the way home. They overwhelmed the unit of guards assigned to protect him. He was scared that this would be the end until the handsome redhead showed up. He quickly turned the tables on his attackers. He had never seen someone take down so many enemies before,nor did he see someone be as good looking as this mystery man.

"You passed out during the battle. Did one of those bastards hurt you?" The beautiful savior asked,checking for lumps under Nitori's smooth gray hair. His concerned frown showed rows of pointed,white teeth,similar to those 'shark' creatures he read about in the tales of seafarers.

"Oh I'm okay" the young prince spoke. "I just fainted because of how cool you were...I mean!!...I was just..overwhelmed from everything that was going on..hehe" A slight crimson started to shine on the knight's cheeks. Nitori noticed their close proximity from the knight checking him for injuries. He tried to stand a little too fast and his legs gave out,his body still trying to make sense of everything. 

"Allow me" the knight suggested. He scooped the young prince into his arms,carrying him like one would a bride. Nitori noticed this and his own pale face started to turn red. He decided to go with it anyway,and wrapped his arms around his hero's neck,leaned his face into the cold iron armor on his chest,and put all his trust,his faith,his life into this stranger's hands. He had been noble enough to save him anyway,it was the least he could do to repay him until he got back to his castle.

"May I ask for my hero's name?" Nitori asked.

"Um...Rin Matsuoka,milord." the knight said nervously.

"Rin Matsuoka.." Nitori repeated,admiring the feel of his hero's name on his lips. "It's a wonderful name! Sounds tough!" Nitori smiled as wide as he could,imagining all the adventures Rin must've been on before.

Rin blushed even more,having just been complimented by the prince of the whole kingdom itself. "Th-thank you milord." 

"I'm Aiichiro Nitori" the young prince replied. "But you can call me Ai!"

"Okay...Ai" Rin didn't feel right addressing the prince so formally.

Ai giggled,replaying Rin saying his name over in his head. "Where did you learn to fight like that Rin?" he asked.

"I'm a member of the Royal Guard." he said. Ai remembered that there would be young squires training on the castle's grounds some days,working to defend the royal family and their treasures from any invading force that made its way to the castle's doorstep. 

"So we've probably met before!" Ai said. "We always at the castle together and we didn't even know it! It's almost like we were born to meet each other!" Ai beamed up at Rin with an wide,innocent smile. He always did enjoy fairy tales a little too much.

In secret,Rin had always been watching the young prince from afar. Aiichiro Nitori was beautiful, the envy of all in the kingdom,rich suitors were probably lined up outside the castle waiting for him to be able to marry. Yet Rin was only a lowly soldier from a family of commoners. It's a gift from the gods themselves to be able to even have Ai acknowledge his existence,let alone carry him in his arms. "Maybe we were." Rin said sadly.

The path they walked came into a small town. From there,the two were able to rest and arrange for proper transport to the royal castle at the country's capital. Rin was given honors from Ai's father,the king,and a large payment of gold that Rin sent to his mom and sister back home. He could only imagine the letters he'd get when the news hit them. He was ready to return to his normal duties,patrolling here and there,when he was summoned to Ai's chambers.

He took a knee before the young prince. "Is there something you need milord?" Ai grabbed his hand and pulled him up,getting him to stand. "Because of what you did I've decided to keep you!" Ai said. "From now on,you're going to be my personal bodyguard,which means you and me are going to spend a lot more time together!"

"You don't have to do that.." Rin said. He didn't want to make Ai feel like he owed him.

"I would feel a lot more safe with you around Rin" Ai said,locking his fingers with Rin's. As a last measure to get his point across,he softly traced a cirlce on Rin's armored chest,looking up at him as seductively as he read about in his books. "You do want to protect your prince don't you?" he asked in a low,sultry voice.

"I...I will defend you with my life,Ai."

**Author's Note:**

> george rr martin whats good


End file.
